We Must be Killers
by taco's bell
Summary: Although he finds the ninja unsettling, he smiles. /In which Harry is not interesting enough to attract the attention of anyone, but does anyways./
1. Chapter 1

Although he finds the ninja unsettling, he smiles. /In which Harry is not interesting enough to attract the attention of anyone, but does anyways. /

* * *

Harry doesn't understand what the old woman in front of him is saying, but he bobs his head and hopes it convinces her he has inkling on what's going on. She isn't. Sighing, she takes his arm carefully, as if he were fragile mental patient (and he is, isn't he?), muttering lowly to herself. She guides him inside a small looking stand, sets him on a stool.

She points at the seat, and he gets that much.

"Alright, I'll stay," he murmurs, nodding, and she eyes him for a moment before disappearing to the back. He taps his fingers along the wooden counter, eyes trailing his surroundings. He's in Asia, he knows that much. Despite his crippled knowledge of geography and culture outside of the limited wizardry bubble, he did attend elementary school for a limited amount of time. The chopstick stand, the strange letters adorning the stand, and everywhere. Frankly, it was giving him a headache.

The old woman is back, with a young man. Her son? He straightens. She points at him, rather rudely, announcing something in her language (Chinese? No, no, definitely Japanese). The man sighs, replies and Harry watches them bicker for a short while. Finally, they quiet, regarding Harry in a serious manner. Where's a Hermione when you need one?

The man stands up, gestures to himself, and repeats the word 'Ken'.

"Ken?" Harry echoes. That sounded awfully English.

The man looks irritated. "Kenji." Enunciated slowly now.

"Ah," Harry says, as if reaching enlightenment, "Kenji." The man looks smug, nods, and then gesticulates to Harry.

"Harry."

"Hari?" Kenji repeats, pronouncing it, 'Ha-Ri'-H'. Close enough, he surmises. He nods. The man grins, turns to the woman. He says something, and the old woman looks irritated for a brief moment, before sighing.

Kenji turns back to him, scowling again, and beckons Harry to the back. Going to be a long day, Harry thinks. No Apparating, he thinks. Ever again.

* * *

Slowly, they instill the language into Harry, using visual aids. Mostly, Harry learns useful phrases.

Like, "Hi, what would you like today?" or, "Oh, yes, I recommend the beef. It's pricey, but worth it." He should be more panicky, Harry thinks, wiping down the counter, but he comforts himself with the fact that most wizards are geographically handicapped, and this could be a vacation. Wonderful food, too, he thinks. This is the more positive side of things. Mostly, he doesn't know _how_ to get back, nor contact his friends.

Apparating was out of the question.

Glancing up, Harry is reminded of why he hates this particular job. The duo's little stand was located at the most civilian boisterous village, between two _ninja_ villages. It was a long journey. Needless to say, Harry is unsettled by them. Frightened, if he's willing to admit. This one is relatively young, but he doesn't let that throw him off.

Harry clears his throat, says, "What would you like?"

The boy glances up, before muttering softly, "Onigri." Harry blinks, mulls it over. Ah, right, rice balls. He wipes his hands on his apron, leans over and shouts the simple order. When he turns back to the boy he is staring.

Although he finds the ninja unsettling, Harry smiles. The boy blinks, looks away. The stand always got empty when a ninja frequented, Harry thinks, glancing behind the boy. Standing so close to the boy, he understands.

If he looks hard enough, he's sure he can find blood on the boy's hands. Still, while he found silence comforting, silence in the presence of a ninja was unnerving, although too common.

"What's your name?" Harry asks softly, purses his lips at the pile of dishes he spies. He can't use magic in front of the other boy. Or maybe he can, he does see ninjas perform impossible feats occasionally, but the instinct to hide is ingrained into him.

"Itachi." Harry almost starts in surprise. He asked a question, right.

"Nice to meet you, Itachi," Harry smiles, hopes he didn't stumble over the words too much. "My name is Hari."

Itachi nods, looking faintly bored, and Harry falters. Alright, next time he won't try to make small conversation. His plate of rice balls is done, and Harry places the dish in front of the boy. The boy nods in acknowledgment, or maybe gratitude- either way, Harry smiles. Harry settles for manually washing the dishes while the boy is eating his food, in an almost formal and polite manner. Not that anyone was watching. Except for Harry, of course, and at this thought, he turns around.

He doesn't notice the boy leave. It is only when he turns around, the bills clean and pristine (odd, he pictured it'd be more menacing, if you will), flattened on the table, does he realize the boy is gone. He feels a twinge of guilt when he's relieved.

* * *

**A/N:** rather short, for which i apologize. unfortunately, i don't consider this story as polished as my other ones so i posted on this account. this will be drabble-esqe in a way, since there will be time-skips, and it might not be in chronological order. whenever i update. non sexual Itachi/Harry, if y'know what i'm saying. thanks for reading, reviews would be adored!

**2/3/13: Brushed away some grammatical errors. Will try to update soon. **


	2. Chapter 2

Magic is his own man, predictable, unpredictable, it's all the same. Sure, it answers to the wand but only vaguely, only indulgence. Harry understands this, if in his own twisted way, because magic likes to spark for him, even when he doesn't ask it to. He starts to understand what happened during Apparation. He had felt that familiar tug, like a PortKey calling for him, and he had foolishly recklessly ignored it. Because he had places to be, people to see, and magic is a jealous mistress. And now look where he is.

Ah, perhaps flippancy is the key. Ignore the problem until it goes away was never his forte, but it can be if he only tries. He continues washing down the counter with more vigor.

"Continue with that and soon there will be no counter to speak of," someone notes drily and Harry looks up to dark eyes, like the curve of a crow's feather.

So the boy would talk today, huh.

"I get that a lot," Harry replies, grinning, before leaning back. "What would you like?"

"The same," the boy says, long lashes almost threatening to poke his eye. Harry entertains the thought of saying, "Huh? You were here before?" Just for shits and giggles but thinks better of it. Wouldn't do good to throw away a, well he wouldn't say good, customer.

"Right. Rice balls," Harry says, and turns to shout the order in the back. He turns back to the sight of a distant, faded smile, and it disappears quickly. Hmm, strange. He did hear ninjas were always a little cracked up there, but that's _perfectly fine_ because Harry isn't spot clean either and he has the scar to prove it.

Absentmindedly, he rubs his scar and dark eyes follow the movement. He lets his fringe get back in the way, but the dark eyes had already filed away the observation for later.

"You're a lot," Harry struggles for a word, "Softer. Today."

Itachi blinks, and Harry supposes that is all the physical inclination that he is bemused. Slowly, the ninja says, "I guess finishing a mission removes my sour disposition, somewhat."

Harry laughs, because it's the longest sentence Itachi's ever uttered in his presence (noted, they don't really hang out much, but still it's an achievement).

"At least you're self-aware," Harry grins, because it's not everyday someone acknowledges they're being bitchy. Perhaps being a ninja isn't so bad, or at least interacting with them? Then he remembers _mission _and _finished_ like he just understood the meaning of them, and quiets. Right, missions mean killing. Not necessarily he's sure, but still, uneasiness creeps into Harry's shoulder.

"What was this, mission? If you don't mind me asking of course."

He does. Itachi's eyes darken, almost measuring before coming to a conclusion.

"I do mind," Itachi says curtly, and Harry can't say he's entirely surprised. He gives Itachi his finished riceballs, and wonders if no one's there to make it for him. He hears they're usually a home made dish, but all's well. He doesn't mean to pry, but he figures _killing people_ is everyone's business, because well it's wrong and it hits too close to home. Harry isn't exactly clean in that area either, but he convinces himself it's _different_, as if that changed anything. It doesn't.

"So," Harry says, because the silence is suffocating him, "got a lady friend at home?" He's also very awkward at small talk, but everyone's always doing the initial talk to him at home, so it's understandable. Itachi pauses, glancing up at him with what could be disbelief but also the lighting. He does hate those kind of people, it's always trouble to discern emotions that aren't held in the eyes or the sleeve.

And emotions will usually tell you the character, and he's always been a good judge of character. He likes to lie to himself too.

"Yes," Itachi answers, "My mother." He smiles, vaguely.

Harry laughs because it's unexpected, and also not all that funny, pathetic really, but Itachi's a good looking guy and he thinks this is some kind of way to reach out cause honey, you're looking kind of lonely. It didn't really look like a smile kind of joke either, more _i'm serious here, why you laughing buddy_ but Harry just awkwardly brushes it away.

"And you?" Itachi says, softly. Harry starts. Oh, right, he forgot they were talking while analyzing it.

"Yes. Hopefully. It's been so long," Harry says, and can't help but think _did you take that away from someone_, and resents himself for thinking it because damn it Harry stop being a saint and try to continue breathing. It doesn't do anyone good to insult a ninja (except you, let it out, ninjas were built to take harsh words).

"Oh," Itachi says, not _I'm sorry that you're stuck in this hellhole_, even though Harry has this sense he understands, because there's no real reason to be sorry for Itachi. Instead, "I understand."

Harry nods. Itachi finishes his rice balls but he doesn't leave and Harry dumps the plate away. He returns and Itachi is still sitting there, _looking_.

"Oh, didn't realize you were here," Harry says, and he doesn't mean to be insulting but he comes out that way anyways. Itachi is made of ice though, and he finds no offense, in the exterior anyways,.

"I still have time to kill," the ninja says, steepling his fingers together politely in front of him.

Yeah, I figure you're kind of good at killing, and realizes he said it aloud. Ouch.

Dark eyes glint, like soot, but dull a moment later.

"I get that a lot," Itachi echoes, and starts to move, and Harry can't help but call on his magic, because hey I'm not going to die in foreign land. But he's only moving to stand, to leave. Too late, Harry's magic had already started breaking the crappy lightbulbs overhead and the plates. Itachi's eyes widen, take in the damage, before examining Harry, fingers dancing on a blade.

Careful now Harry. He cools his magic, and the light fixes itself, the plates right themselves, slowly. Itachi follows the movement closely, with keen eyes, and when Harry finally releases his tight hold on the magic, all the air moves back into the shabby vendor.

"Interesting," Itachi says after awhile, and leaves like it's a farewell.

Ninja are rude, he supposes and Harry hopes the other boy will not come back. He knows it is a long-winded wish, because magic pulls you in that way.

* * *

**A/N:** a little late, but all's well, right? this does have a plot, vaguely, but it's mostly here so i can write pretty interactions (at least how i see it in my head) and share it with you guys. so yeah, hope that's why most of you are here :). i think i replied to most people, but sorry if i missed you.

to that obnoxious question about how: "is this a story with like really weak wizards and stupidly strong shinobi or something? cause i hate stories like that so i'd like to know from the get go"- um, not really no. you see, there's only one wizard in a world filled with obnoxiously strong ninja, so it's understandable he's way out of his league. i'm sure if he had a whole army of wizards at his disposal, he'll hold his own, but for now, yeah ninja are strong. harry's not weak by any means but if you're willing to look at this in full context and understanding, harry is a little _slow_ here. not weak, mind you, just slow because ninja are very sneaky and very fast. but. not. weak. some food for thought.

also, by 'non-sexual', i don't really know how to explain this. they're not together, sexually, but like no one else is allowed to have harry and vice versa. it's like this understanding between them. again, this might not even _happen_, due to my quick to change and less to update mind. if i even do it, i'll explain but for now, platonic loving yeah!

hope you enjoyed, reviews would be much appreciated. :)


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